Family · Gymnosperms

Taxaceae

Yews

Evergreen conifers with soft flat needles whose seeds sit in a fleshy red aril; source of the anticancer drug taxol.

Accepted species: 30accepted names · Kew WCVP
Genera: 5accepted genera · Kew WCVP
Origin: ≈55 MaPaleogene · crown age, Jin & Qian 2022 megatree
Centre of diversity: Asia-Temperatemost native species · WGSRPD

Open Taxaceae in the treePan, zoom and dig into its genera in the interactive view.

Plants you might know

Taxus (yew)
Torreya

Genera

Taxus13 spp.
Amentotaxus8 spp.
Torreya7 spp.
Austrotaxus1 spp.
Pseudotaxus1 spp.

Where it grows

Asia-Temperate20
Asia-Tropical9
Northern America6
Europe1
Africa1
Southern America1
Pacific1

Native species richness by botanical continent (WGSRPD level 1), from Kew WCVP.

Related families

Taxaceae sits in the order Cupressales.